Greetings in Jesus' Name,

     I am sending this to those who know me well and I know will be praying for me and my activities here. In addition to those issues mentioned in my news letter, there are two issues with me that call for serious prayer.

      One is the ongoing conflict in Saboba, and indeed throughour Konkomba land, with the fetish. Some time ago a juju man went through the area identifying certain members of the community as being witches. In my community he laid his hex on a fine young man named Moses. Moses is a committed Christian, a teacher at a local school, and a friend.

     Certain men in the community have brutally attacked Moses and demanded that he leave the community, and they back up their demands with violence. Others, who are in the vast majority, are saying "no", we will not allow a juju man to bring these kind of problems into our community. The community is totally divided, with the holligans dominating.

     This has brought great division into the community. I think that you will recall me talking to you about Ubakan, a young man in my house in Effiduase. His widowed mother is staying in my house in Saboba and is raising four small children not her own. She has taken a stand for Moses, and as a result has been badly beaten. By the way, all of the people in the community are related - they are brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles.

     If you are having problems identifying with this, then you know exactly how I feel. Who today believes in witches, and who turnes violent at the beconing of a voodoo man? You and I have lived in a part of the world where violent satanic influence is unknown. These hostile men will not listen to reason, let alone to the Gospel.

    For me, two Scriptures have very gained new meaning: I John 4:4 and Isaiah 54:17 And others. Friends in Saboba continually come to me asking what they should do - that I am "the only one not afraid." When I was getting ready to leave to bring these children to Effiduase, five of the elders came to me begging me not to leave, being convinced that I would not return. My prayers for divine protection, wisdom, holy boldness have a whole new meaning. Will you fervently stand with me?

     The second issue is a direct result of this conflict. First some back ground: All land in the North of Ghana is tribal land and is owned by the chief. Thus if you want land for some purpose you go to the chief and he will either give it to you or sell it to you. Everything is verbal, there is nothing signed, there is no piece of paper that says you own a certain piece of land. Nothing is surveyed. Also never mind that someone else has been using the land for generations - if the chief gives away your land you have no say.

     The chieftaincy in West Africa is closely tied to the fetish worship. The chief is sworn into his responsibilities by the fetish priest and is charged with protecting the fetish shrines and the monuments to the ancestors. Thus a committed Christian would never become a tribal chief.

     Because of the divisions in my community in Saboba the chief has demanded his land back from certain family members and from me. A large part of the community is taking a stand telling him that they will not move; another is looking to move. Those not moving are facing threats that there houses will be burned.

     Since coming to Ghana, I very frequently ask myself two questions: What would Christ do? and What would He have me to do? Until now, I have found answers to these questions pretty straight forward - our God has not left us in the dark regarding His marching orders. On this issue I am uncertain.

     I use two godly men in Saboba as spiritual advisors, and both have advised me to move - that the battle is not mine. Too, they remind me, that whatever else I am, I am a white man and there is a very real possibility that it will turn into a black vs. white issue.

     When I return to Saboba in the next few days I need to make some decisions. Could I ask you to be in prayer on this?

      I truly feel that if I had a thousand more people praying for me that it would not be enough (yes, I realize too that it takes only one). Know that I only want God's perfect will.

Again, thank you for your ongoing support and prayers,

In Christ,
Philip